‘Wife’ has midlife crisis, finds herself on stage

St. Philip’s director promises a relatable story with a whole lot of comedy.

By Gabriela Rodriguez

sac-ranger@alamo.edu

“The Tale Of The Allergist’s Wife,” a soulful and charismatic play about a woman’s quest to find the meaning of life, will be 8 p.m. today, Saturday and Nov. 20-21 and 2:30 p.m. Nov. 15 and 22 in Watson Theater.

Directed by Vincent Hardy, coordinator of the St. Philip’s College theater program, the play is described as a farcical comedy. It originally opened Feb. 29, 2000, at the Manhattan Theater Club and later moved to Broadway.

Written by Charles Busch, winner of the Outer Critics Circle John Gassner Award for “Wife,” it portrays a woman, Marjorie Taub, going through a midlife crisis.

Even though she’s married to a doctor and is considered upper class, there’s no real happiness within her. Her mother doesn’t help her and continues to add to her insecurities and feelings of mediocrity.

A childhood friend interrupts the scenario. Even though she helps lighten Marjorie’s dark mood, she also stirs up some trouble in her marriage.

It is Busch’s “most mainstream play,” compared to more than 25 other plays he has written, Hardy said.